Our Education Programs

Our Education Programs aim to engage students, teachers, school administrators, and the community in recognizing and celebrating the impact of sports culture and heritage in Aurora.

These programs encourage discussions and inspire people of all ages, to achieve physical literacy through educational activities related to the Aurora Sports Hall of Fame (ASHoF) inductees.

To explore bringing any of these programs to your school or organization, and if you are interested in volunteering and becoming part of the Education Committee, feel free to reach out to Kristen Dajia at [email protected].

Our programs

Sports History Alive!

The Sports History Alive! program is designed to bring Aurora’s rich athletic history alive for all students and members of our community. It is free, informative, and physically active, addressing mental health issues and building resilience.

The multimedia presentation, delivered in class or the school gymnasium, is linked to the Ontario physical and health education and social studies curriculum. By studying local history, students connect more firmly to their community, fostering pride in their hometown and inspiring them to be more active.

Warmest thanks to our education sponsor for their support

The ASHoF mandate is to:

Student participants of the Sports History Alive! presentation will:

Educators involved in the Sports History Alive! presentation will:

What people are saying:

We would like to thank Mark Heese and Melissa Bromley for their engaging and interactive presentation that included valuable lessons on the virtues of teamwork, perseverance, and how the rich sports history in our local community has had a profound impact on the games we know and love today. The presentation had many interesting anecdotes that captured the students’ imagination and included fun activities like the Dance Cam and Shootout that got students moving and kept them focused. Highly recommended!

Our students were so excited when Mark Heese came to our school with the Sports History Alive presentation! Mark’s presentation was very engaging and he truly inspired our students to get involved and try new and different experiences. They gained a greater awareness about the history of sport in Aurora and the Aurora Sports Hall of Fame and its significance in our community. Mark was very inspirational. Our students were thrilled to take selfies with a real Olympian and to touch an Olympic medal. Thank you for coming to our school and giving our students an amazing experience!

Our students were thrilled with the Sports History Alive presentation featuring Mark Heese. Not only was Mark’s presentation identifiable and engaging, his message has truly inspired the kids at Aurora Grove Public School to get active in sports and try something new. The students found it rather interesting to learn a bit about the history of sport in Aurora and to learn about the Aurora Sports Hall of Fame. Of course, it was also pretty cool to meet an Olympian, watch him do a “dig” and to see an actual Olympic medal! Thanks for sharing your passion in sport with Aurora Grove!

Sports Heritage Educational Resources

In partnership with Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame, we are pleased to provide some resources for educators. These resource materials have been designed to follow the Ontario curriculum expectations, to assist teachers with the delivery of sports history education in the classroom, and to build pride in citizenship among the youth of our communities.

Included in the documents below are Lesson Plan ideas for such subjects as Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, Physical Education, Art, History and Geography and are divided into grade levels including Grades 3–4; 5–6, and 7–8. The lessons include both individual and group activities, and individual and group work projects.

We hope that our ASHoF Sports Heritage Education Program Resource materials will be of assistance to teachers in the classroom. When used in combination with an excursion to the Aurora Sports Hall of Fame, students will truly enjoy a complete sports heritage learning opportunity.

Click on the links below to access our sports heritage lesson ideas:

Community Artifact Program

Our free, informative, inquiry-based program uses sports artifacts from our Hall of Famers to teach Canadian history.

This hands-on program is suitable for all grades and types of learners, including those in modified education programs. It celebrates Canadian culture and provides an engaging way to explore our nation’s heritage.

Sport Tournaments

Our tournaments offer a fun and competitive experience for athletes, allowing them to represent their schools in sports not typically offered by school board athletic associations. Athletes have the chance to engage with educational displays from the Aurora Sports Hall of Fame and interact with Olympians and Hall of Famers.

Alongside athletic development, participants receive tools to enhance their mental resilience, fostering growth both on and off the field.

Read more about past hockey tournaments:

Heroes of the Hall Literacy Program

Our comic book series is a celebration of Canadian sport heritage, creatively designed to teach literacy through captivating and inspiring stories of determination. Suitable for all grades and ages, these comics offer an enjoyable way to learn about our sporting history.

Readers are encouraged to engage with Olympians and sport heroes of Aurora through written interactions, fostering a deeper connection to our community’s athletic legacy. By sharing their own stories, citizens contribute to the documentation of our rich sport heritage for future generations to cherish.